Inside

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i5-10400F paired with the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 sits at rank 3056 out of 3716 tested combinations in Inside. This places the combo in the lower third of all recorded configurations, meaning a significant portion of systems in the database deliver higher frame rates in this title. The ranking reflects that while the hardware is fully capable of running the game smoothly, it is not positioned near the top of the performance curve.

The CPU, with a percentile rank of 68 among all processors, is a solid mid-tier part. Its average benchmark score of 14185 places it close to several enterprise and mobile chips: it trails the Intel Core 7 160UL by 0.3%, sits 0.2% ahead of the Intel Xeon 6756E, and leads the AMD EPYC 7552 by 0.5% while staying 0.6% ahead of the AMD Ryzen 3 7320C. These deltas are all within a narrow band, indicating that the i5-10400F delivers compute performance comparable to a cluster of very different hardware designs.

The GPU tells a different story. The GTX 1070 holds a percentile rank of 47 among all graphics cards, placing it just below the median. Its average benchmark score of 9780 is nearly matched by the AMD FirePro W5000 (within 0.2%), the NVIDIA Quadro M2000M (0.5% lower), and the NVIDIA Tesla M10 (0.6% higher), with the Tesla C2070 trailing by 0.7%. The GTX 1070 is therefore a mid-pack graphics solution in the database, and the overall combo ranking reflects this: the processor is comparatively stronger than the graphics card, yet the pair still produces playable results across most settings in Inside.

CPU and GPU Roles

The benchmark data shows that Inside scales heavily with GPU load as resolution increases. At 1920x1080, the game is largely bound by the graphics card, but even the weakest settings produce very high frame rates. The jump from Low to Ultra at 1080p reduces the average from 231 FPS to 110 FPS, a drop of 121 FPS. This indicates that the GPU is doing the heavy lifting, while the i5-10400F has ample headroom to feed frames.

Moving to 2560x1440, the same pattern holds but with lower absolute numbers. Low settings average 166 FPS, High drops to 83 FPS, and Ultra sits at 79 FPS. The gap between High and Ultra narrows to just 4 FPS at this resolution, suggesting that the GPU begins to hit a performance ceiling as pixel count rises. The CPU is not the limiting factor here, as even the most demanding preset stays well above 60 FPS.

At 3840x2160, the GPU becomes the clear bottleneck. Low settings still manage 104 FPS, but Medium falls to 83 FPS, High drops to 52 FPS, and Ultra bottoms out at 50 FPS. The difference between High and Ultra is only 2 FPS, while the gap between Low and Medium is 21 FPS. This pattern shows that the GTX 1070 cannot sustain 60 FPS at 4K once settings exceed Medium, regardless of CPU performance. The i5-10400F, with its 6 cores and 12 threads, does not constrain the system at any resolution or preset, as evidenced by the consistent scaling of frame rates that tracks GPU load rather than processor workload.

FAQ

Q: Can this system maintain 60 FPS at 1920x1080 with Ultra settings?

A: Yes. The measured average at 1080p Ultra is 110 FPS, which is 50 FPS above the playable threshold of 60 FPS. The minimum recorded frame rate at this setting is not provided, but the average indicates comfortable headroom.

Q: What is the best preset at 2560x1440 for a smooth experience?

A: Ultra is playable at 1440p with an average of 79 FPS. This is 19 FPS above the 60 FPS threshold, making it the most demanding setting that still clears the playability bar.

Q: Is 4K gaming viable with this combination?

A: Only at Low and Medium settings. The 4K Medium preset averages 83 FPS with a minimum of 71 FPS, while Low averages 104 FPS. High and Ultra fall short at 52 FPS and 50 FPS respectively, so those presets are not recommended for 4K.

Q: How does the GTX 1070 compare to its nearest rivals in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The GPU scores 9780 on average, which is 0.2% lower than the AMD FirePro W5000, 0.5% lower than the NVIDIA Quadro M2000M, 0.6% higher than the NVIDIA Tesla M10, and 0.7% higher than the NVIDIA Tesla C2070. These are all within a 1.2% margin, so performance is essentially equivalent.

Q: Does the CPU bottleneck the GPU in this game?

A: No. The frame rates scale predictably with resolution and settings, and the CPU's benchmark scores place it comfortably ahead of the GPU's needs. The 3DMark 16-thread score of 4748 and Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 10283 indicate sufficient processing power for this puzzle platformer.

Q: What is the minimum frame rate recorded at 1440p Medium?

A: The minimum is 113 FPS, with a maximum of 153 FPS and an average of 133 FPS. This preset offers a very consistent experience well above the playable threshold.

The Verdict

This PC can run Inside without issue at 1920x1080 and 2560x1440. At 1080p, every preset from Low to Ultra clears 60 FPS comfortably, with Ultra averaging 110 FPS and Low reaching 231 FPS. At 1440p, all four presets also remain playable: Ultra averages 79 FPS, High hits 83 FPS, Medium reaches 133 FPS, and Low tops out at 166 FPS. The only resolution where the system struggles is 3840x2160, where High and Ultra fall below the 60 FPS threshold at 52 FPS and 50 FPS respectively. The verdict by resolution confirms that Low and Medium are the playable 4K settings, with Medium offering the best balance at 83 FPS average.

For users with a 1080p or 1440p display, this combination is fully sufficient. The GTX 1070, despite its mid-pack ranking, delivers well above the playability bar at these resolutions. At 4K, the system requires a compromise on visual fidelity, but Medium settings still produce a smooth experience.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The CPU's nearest rivals in the database are a diverse set. The Intel Xeon 6756E scores 14163, essentially tied with the i5-10400F's 14185. The Intel Core 7 160UL is 0.3% faster, the AMD EPYC 7552 is 0.5% slower, and the AMD Ryzen 3 7320C is 0.6% slower. Any of these processors would deliver nearly identical compute performance in Inside, though their different core counts and power profiles make them unlikely direct substitutes in a gaming build.

On the GPU side, the AMD FirePro W5000, NVIDIA Quadro M2000M, NVIDIA Tesla M10, and NVIDIA Tesla C2070 all fall within 0.7% of the GTX 1070's average score. The Quadro M2000M and FirePro W5000 are professional workstation cards, while the Tesla units are compute-oriented, but their measured performance in the database suggests they would produce similar frame rates in this game. None of these alternatives offer a meaningful upgrade or downgrade, so users with any of these GPUs should expect comparable results.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 3840x2160, the most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS is Medium, with an average of 83 FPS and a minimum of 71 FPS. Low also clears the threshold at 104 FPS, but Medium provides higher visual quality while maintaining a safe margin above the playability bar.

At 2560x1440, Ultra is the best choice, averaging 79 FPS. This is the highest preset available and still leaves 19 FPS of headroom over the 60 FPS threshold.

At 1920x1080, Ultra again is the recommended setting, with an average of 110 FPS. The minimum frame rate at this preset is not recorded, but the average suggests strong performance even in demanding scenes.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 3840x2160, the recorded data shows the following: Low averages 104 FPS with no minimum or maximum reported. Medium averages 83 FPS, with a minimum of 71 FPS and a maximum of 96 FPS. High averages 52 FPS, and Ultra averages 50 FPS, both without minimum or maximum values.

At 2560x1440, Low averages 166 FPS. Medium averages 133 FPS, with a minimum of 113 FPS and a maximum of 153 FPS. High averages 83 FPS, and Ultra averages 79 FPS, with no additional frame time data for the latter two.

At 1920x1080, Low averages 231 FPS. Medium averages 184 FPS, with a minimum of 157 FPS and a maximum of 212 FPS. High averages 115 FPS, and Ultra averages 110 FPS, both lacking minimum and maximum values.

The pattern across all resolutions shows that Medium is the only preset with complete frame time data, suggesting it was the focus of more detailed measurement. The minimum values recorded at Medium settings, 71 FPS at 4K, 113 FPS at 1440p, and 157 FPS at 1080p, all sit comfortably above the 60 FPS playable threshold, indicating that the system maintains smooth performance even in less favorable moments. The absence of minimum and maximum data for other presets limits direct comparison, but the average frame rates provide sufficient evidence for the verdicts above.